Liverpool News | Empire of the Kop

Cody Gakpo won’t face a suspension over his goal celebration in Liverpool’s 5-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, although the Reds forward is set to receive a formal reprimand.

After netting his team’s third goal on the day that they clinched the Premier League title, the 25-year-old removed his LFC shirt to reveal a vest with the message ‘I Belong to Jesus’, duly receiving an obligatory yellow card from referee Thomas Bramall for taking off his jersey.

It was reported on Tuesday that the Dutchman could face disciplinary action for an apparent breach of a rule from the International Football Association Board (IFAB) prohibiting the displaying of ‘political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images’.

Gakpo to receive FA warning over religious slogan

According to a further update from the Daily Mail this morning, the Football Association are expected to issue a formal warning to Gakpo reminding him of his responsibilities in regard to the aforementioned law, although the Liverpool forward won’t face any further action beyond that.

It isn’t the first instance this season that the FA have sent a reminder to a Premier League player over kit regulations, having reprimanded Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi for wearing rainbow armbands in successive fixtures on which he’d written ‘I love Jesus’ and ‘Jesus loves you’.

Let that be the end of the matter…

At least the authorities have used some common sense towards Gakpo over the message on his vest on Sunday – it would’ve been downright ridiculous to issue a ban over something of that nature – but the whole matter smacks of a storm in a teacup.

We understand why certain rules are in place regarding political or religious slogans so that provocative statements about sensitive topics aren’t freely expressed, but in truth there are far bigger problems in English football than what a player wears on his vest.

Six years after its implementation in the Premier League, the haphazard application of VAR continues to baffle supporters up and down the country, while the case of Manchester City’s 115 charges for alleged financial fair play breaches has still not been resolved.

Once the FA have said their piece to Gakpo, that should be the end of the matter, and it certainly won’t be allowed to spoil the gleeful mood among Liverpool supporters after league title number 20 was secured at the weekend!

Sipke Hulshoff has pointed to the precise moment when he felt that Liverpool’s pursuit towards the Premier League title ‘couldn’t go wrong anymore’.

The Reds went into their game against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday needing only a draw to be crowned champions and, despite falling behind to an early Dominic Solanke header, they equalised within four minutes and never looked back thereafter as they romped to a 5-1 victory at Anfield.

What could’ve been an anxious afternoon in L4 turned into a carnival from half-time onwards, by which stage the home side were 3-1 to the good, and Arne Slot’s assistant was confident that the title party wouldn’t be postponed once parity had been restored by Luis Diaz.

Such was the level of comfort that Liverpool’s head coach was even seen smiling over Harvey Elliott’s stoppage-time baiting of Richarlison!

Hulshoff reflects on title-clinching victory

Hulshoff was reflecting on the title-clinching result in an interview with Dutch outlet Leeuwarder Courant, and while he was scorned by Spurs taking the lead, his displeasure didn’t last for too long.

The 50-year-old described Solanke’s goal as ‘a very unpleasant moment, although it only lasted 10 seconds’ and knew that Liverpool wouldn’t be stopped once our number 7 levelled the score just four minutes later.

The Reds’ assistant boss said: “After we scored the equaliser quite quickly, I had the feeling that it couldn’t go wrong anymore.”

Liverpool no strangers to overturning early deficits

There was no sense of panic at Anfield when Spurs broke the deadlock, and with good reason – Liverpool have only lost twice in the Premier League all season, despite conceding first in 11 top-flight games (and trailing in two others that we came back to either win or draw).

It helped that Diaz equalised so quickly, and that only one point was needed to clinch the title rather than three – had the Reds still been behind in the second half, a feeling of tension could’ve been palpable, even with the team’s formidable powers of recovery.

It’s obviously easier to speak after the fact, but for Hulshoff to admit that he felt it ‘couldn’t go wrong’ for LFC as soon as they drew level attest to the confidence that he had in the players to finish the job that afternoon, which they duly did in style.

Liverpool could win the league on Sunday and all that currently stands in our way is Tottenham, meaning their team news is of interest.

Ange Postecoglou confirmed on Friday that Son Heung-min would be missing from the travelling squad, which is certainly a boost for our chances of success.

However, there is more injury news that some supporters may have missed which has been shared on liverpoolfc.com:

‘Postecoglou reported no fresh fitness worries following Monday’s loss to Nottingham Forest, though, meaning Son and Radu Dragusin are the visitors’ only absentees.’

Not only are we bolstered by a double injury blow, there’s also the fact that Spurs are set to play a Europa League semi final on Thursday too.

The Londoners will be hosting Bodo/Glimt and so will surely have half an eye on their only chance of securing European football next season, meaning others may be rested or taken off the pitch early.

This should all increase our chances of success this weekend, with a very obvious prize awaiting us too.

Tottenham could be the perfect opponents this weekend

Arne Slot has his own injury issues too, though we have a largely fit and available squad to choose from for what could be a game for the ages.

It’s been 35 years since a Liverpool fan has been inside Anfield as we win the league and all those lucky enough to be in or outside the stadium will sample a moment we have waited so long for.

There are no easy games in the Premier League and it will still require a big effort in order to secure victory but we could have been faced with tougher games.

Let’s hope this weekend will be forever etched into our memories for all the right reasons.

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Liverpool fans won’t need reminding that a point at Anfield this weekend will hand us the title and it’s only Tottenham who stand in our way.

This means that the Reds will be out for blood and hoping for a dominant performance on Sunday, with team news from North London being eagerly anticipated.

Speaking before the match (via tottenhamhotspur.com), Ange Postecoglou reported: “We don’t have injury problems, as such.

“The only one is Sonny, trying to work his way back. He’s improving, which is positive for us, but not (fit) for Sunday.

“Everyone from the last game has come back well, so apart from the longer-term ones, the rest of the squad is fit and available.”

The absence of Son Heung-min from the squad for Spurs will come as a massive boost to our chances of success, with many deeming him a player we would have loved to have signed in the past.

Son Heung-min missing the trip to Anfield is a boost for Liverpool

His Australian manager has even claimed that the South Korean would thrive on Merseyside and it feels like a transfer that exists in another timeline.

In this one though, Arne Slot is about to win the league in his first season and will be looking to do so against a struggling Spurs who are without one of their best players.

Joe Gomez remains our only injury concern at the moment, with our head coach confirming that we can hope to see him in a red shirt again before the end of this campaign.

All focus is now on us to go and make history this weekend with a title win that will never be forgotten.

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